A Collection of Lives

Origin

I am not optimistic about people or my school, and expected to spend most of it cringing. I took the class in the hope that I could correct some of the misinformation that I was sure was being spread, or at least make it clear that there were other options and beliefs in the world.

Instead, the professor turned out to be awesome. The only quibble that I had with the class was that we primarily learned about history and statistics; diverse people were described fairly, but always felt distant and abstract. So, when the MOGAI classes were approaching, I talked to the professor. I and some of my friends wrote about our experiences, and the class read and discussed them.

I believe in the power of stories. The stories we tell and hear affect who we are, what we do, and what we value. If the stories of only a certain type of people are told, or dominate what is told, that has consequences. Conversely, sharing and spreading stories aids visibility and equality. It’s not enough, of course, but it’s a step.

And so, Add Another Story is an attempt to expand on those original six stories. I will collect and post stories that are sent to me, so that they can be read by everyone. Stories are anonymous, so that everyone may share what they choose to.

I’m not 100% sure where this is going. Ideally, I’d love to collect hundreds or thousands of stories and share them with everyone. I’d love to see them cover Facebook, be used in classrooms and workplaces, and be talked about in magazines and news. But there’s only so much that’s within my control, so we’ll all find out where this goes as it does.